Can-smoothing machine.



veitizen of. th'e'United IMTED STATES PATENT OFFICE;

JACOB ZB CONOVEB, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW' JEBSEY.

CAN-SMOOTHINQ MACHINE.

To all whom iitmog/ concern;l` y 4 Be it known thatTfl'JAooe' B. Corrovzn, a

tates residing et Jersey City, in the countyof Iiudson and State of New Jelrsey, hevexinvented certain, new and useful Improverneiits iii Uan-Smoothing Machines, of which the following is a speciticetion, reference being'ihad thereinjto theaccompanying drawings, forming? parti-5 thereof. i

My invention relates to smoothing .ma chines for rernovingl the v(lente of usage fromv mill; cans and ice cream ca'ns. The quick and rough handling of these eans in4 trans-` portationin their travels heelt and forth freqnently' results 'in the, tlenting or c'riisliing in at various places.o'Ftlie-oylindrical sides of the cans. This not' only;defgices the cans but dmin'ishes or varies .their eehacity.

Theobject of `my inventio'nv ls to quickly and efi`ectively`i'sniooth out these tlie'nts .in the can sides ltlerehy restore-'tlzregoanssubstantially ito'jffllieir. `0riginal afipgi'anoe" and capacity; u f 4437,: My inventiog'rjinclud'esfmesus forv pressi-ng the cylindricel'; vvhll-^"o.f. -fthe canV between smoothing rollers',1

My i'nvention more particularly includes a 'continuously driven pressure roller reletively movable tomand ironir coactive relation with an idler can-supporting roller, so that the can is cirenmferentally fed onlywhen the rollers are -in coacti-ve relation.

vMy invention also includes other features of construction and combination of parts, as will hereinufter appear.

' I shall now describe the enn smothing1 machine eihodying. my invention which is illustrated in the. acornpanying drawings and shall thereafter point out my invention in claims.

Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in sec- I tion, of'the can smoothing machine, shown as srrenged for hand nctuation. Fig; 2 is a. front eleyation, viewed from the right in Fig. '1, but shown as arreng'ed to he driven by power. Flgt' is a. detail elevation showing how ii canlbody is operefd on.

Thor-can smoot'iiing* machine shown in the drstirinhs hasffsiiltme coinprising a can-respecmcetion oftemn' recent. I Application med J' une 28, 1'911. 'Serial lo. 836,388.

oeiving horn 1, a (terrier-Supporting bracket :or henger 2 provided within brace 3,' and 'a verticl Supporting plate' The horn 1, 'the hang "r 2 and the bracelfmay b'e secured to the su port-.4 by bolts, as shown, and the 1machine inay be'monnted on a. wall or post fwith the support 4 in Vertical position, as 4shown in theA drawings.

; The outer' portion 'of the can-receiving 'horn 1 is oflse't upwardly, as shown, and such outer Jortion'is provided on its upper :side with a. liard'metal can-Supporting roller f which projects upwardly above the horn 1. The horn 1 supportsthe roller 5 at both .ends of the roller, and the roller is shown as having a shaft of journaled in bearings in ithe horn. To permit the smoothing of the vextreme inner vportions of the can cylinder, .a short supplemental can-SupportingI roller 1,7 projects beyond the outer end of the horn Patented oee. 13. '1914;

1 in alinement With the main can-Supporting I lroller 5 and is shown ascarried by the'outer Iend of the roller shaft Gbeyond its outer bearing'. The horn l may enter s millr can for an-ice cream can and support the can ifroni'the inside upon the rollers 5 and .7. The upward ofl'setting of the outer'rollerfearrying portions of the horn 1l permits the can-supportimgr rollers to supportfcans hav 'ing reduced Upper portions and necks of fsmaller diameter than the cylindrical bodies of the cans, such, for example, as the usual New York milk cans. The can-Supporting rollers 5 and 7 are idler rollers upon'which a can may stationarily'l'rest preporatoryv to being operated upon' or for rmoval after being operated upon.

A drive shaft or aetuating shaft 8 is i'ournaled in bearingzs in the `.lower side of the hauger 2 and substantially in Vertical alinement with the can-Supporting' rollers 5 and 7 and parallel thereto. The actuating shaft i 8 ls arrangeld to be driven from any convenient source of power by means' of a belt pulley 9 upon the inner end of such shaft, and 'a belt 10, as shown in Fig. 2; `or

hand by means of a Crank 11 applied to the i squared outer end of this sheift, es shown in Fig. 1,, 4

A swinging roller-carrier 12 is pivoted Swing about an axis coin'cident with the axis of the actuating shaft 8, and is shown as plvoted directly on such shaft adjacent to the shaftbearings of the hauger 2. The carrier 12 isof widened H-shape, having comparatirelyshort end bars or legs and a lengthencd cross-bar or connecting bar, and is shown as formed in one piece.

A roller shaft 13 is journaled in the lower, portion'of the swinging roller-carrier 12, in' parallel relation with the actuating'shaft 8, and mechanical connections are provided between the actuating shaft 8 and the roller shaft 9 for actuating the latter from the former, such connections comprising a pair of intermeshing spur gears 14. fixed respectively on the shafts 8 and 13.

A pressure roller 15, coactive with the can-Supporting rollers 5 and 7 to smooth the can cylinder, is mounted on the roller shaft 13 for rotation thereby. rI`he pressure roller 15 is shorter than thcspace between the bearings for its shaft 13, and is connected to its shaft by a spline 131? so as to be compelled to rotate with the shaft. A serew plug 16 and wedge 17 are provided for fixing the pressure roller 15 at any desired position of adjustment along the roller shaft 13. Longitudinal movement of the roller shaft 13 is lprevented by the gear 14 at its inner end and by a collar 18 at its outer end. The purpose of the longitudinal adjustment of the pressure roller 15 is to provide for the clearance of hoops or other projecting parts at the outside of the cam body, such' projecting parts commonly occurring adjacen't to the endsof the can cylinder. As the actuating shaft 8 is parallel to the can- Supporting rollers 5 and 7, and the pressure roller 15 is parallel to the actuating shaft 8, and the pressure roller carrier 12 swings on the actuati'ng shaft, the pressure roller 15 is in parallel relation with the can-supportingl rollers 5 and 7, and will remain in parallelisni thereto as the roller-carrier 12 swings. The relative dimensions and lo- 'cations of the parts are such that when the roller-carrier 12- is swung downward the pressure roller 15 is thereby brought into proximity to the cau-supportinu', rollers 5 and 7, as shown in all figures of the drawings, to press the wall of a can between thepressure roller 15 and the can-supporting rollers and 7, as sho'wn in Fig. 3.

As means for swinging the roller-carrier 12 to movethe pressure roller 15 to and from operative position in relation to the cansupporting rollers, a hand lever 19 is provided, shown as projecting atright angles from the roller-carrier near the puter end thereof. The lever 19 is shown vas having a reduced end passing through an eye in the longitudinal bar or cross-bar of the-H-shaped carrier-frame 12 and secured in place by a nut. The lever 19 may be inserted from either side of the roller-carrier 12, to pro ject either to the right or to the left of the machine as viewed in Fig. 2, and is shown in the drawings as projecting to the right. The roller-carrier 12 is adapted to swing in either direction lto more the pressure roller` 15 away from the can-Supporting rollers 5 and 7. "hcn the lever 19 is at the right of the machine, such lever be raised to Swing the roller-carrier 12 to the right and shift the pressure roller 15 t,0 the right and upwardly away from the can-Supporting rollers. WVere the lei'er 19 applied at the other side of the machine, the roller-carrier 12 would be swung in the opposite direction to oppositely shift the pressure roller 15 away from the can-Supporting rollers. This two-position adjustment of the lever 19 permits the operator to stand at either Fidelof the machine.

Then the machine is operated by power, as indicated in 'Fig 2, the pressure roller. 15

may be continuously driven. VVhcn the pres- (sure roller 15 is in coactive relation with the can-Supporting rollers, with a can in position on the can-suppcrting rollers, the can cylinder will be fed circumferentially he- Ytween the rollers, as shown in Fig 3. The rotation of the pressure roller 15 may be in either direction, but it is usually preferable to feed the upper surface of the can cylinder away from theoperator, as indicated in Fig. 3. When the pressure roller 15 is swung to elevated position, a smoothed can may be removed and replaced by another can to be operated upon. The can just operated upon and the substituted can to be operated upon, will -successively rest stationarily on the can-Supporting rollers 5 and 7, regardless of the Continuous driving of the pressure roller 15.`

The swinging-'roller-carrier 12 is a pressure lever and the pressure applied by its pressure roller 15 is greatly increasedat the points of application to the can surface by reason of the angular relation of the pivot of the roller carrier, the axis of the pressure roller 15 and the axis of the can-supporting rollers 5 and 7 ,this angular relation being indicated by the center lines m, y, in Fig. 3. As will be seen this angular relation is that of the well known and highly powerful toggle joint. The lever 19, of course, further increases the pressure of the rollers on the wall of the can sylinder. 4

Adjustment is provided to secure efl'ective pressure and proper eoactive relation of the pressure-roller 15 with the can-Supporting roller 5, in operating upon different eans having cylindrical walls of different -thi'cl'tnese of metal. Such adjustuient may be' ies efliecteli by adjusting .the 'distance of one of these rollers from the pivotel .axis of the a rgid support for the idler can-supporting ,f

roller-carrir 12, thereby adjusting the relative spacing of these rollers from such pivotal axis. This adjustment is shown as applied to the con-Supporting rollers 5 and 7, end is el'ected by verticallysdjusting the csn-receiyin horn 1 on the Supporting plate ll, .Vertical elt-receiving ,slots 20 in the flsnge of the horn 1 copereting with the sei Curing bolt's for the horn 1 to make provision for thisadjustment.

It is obvious that various modifications may he milde in the construction shown in the drewings end above particularly descrihecl within the principle and scope of my' invention.

I claim: 7

1. A can smoothing machine comprising an idler can-Supporting roller for entering a can end supporting it from the inside,

roller, e rigid cerrier-supporting henger in spaced relation to the can-Supporting roller and its sup'port, en actusting sheft journaled in the henger having' its axis in a plane with the axs of the dler con-slip;

. ortinff roller a swin 'n roller cerrier b 7 mounted to Swing about the actueting shuft a, eller Vshaft journaled inflthe rollerterrier with its aXis in a. plane lwith the axis of the nctuating sheft, e combinedV-fecd roller and pressure roller rotatable With the roller shuft, the latter roller and the idler canfsupporting roller heving e speced relation to the actuating' shefi such as will provide for the coperotion of these rollers by swinging the roller-':errie;l about the actueting sheft, mechanical connection between the actueting shaft end the roller shoft for eotuating the latter' [rom the former, ond menually sctuathle means for-swinglng the roller-carrier to shift the hombined feecllflnd pressure roller' to or ironi coactive relation with the icller can-supporting` roller.

i 2. 'A `een smoothing machine comprising en idlercsnsupporting roller for entering soon and Supporting it from the inside, a rigd support for the icller censupporting roller, e ri'gid csrri'er-supporting henger in spsceol relation to the can-supporting roller .i

end its support, en actusting sheft journsled in the henger above end. parallel with the erfis of the can-Supporting roller, 'n swingi'ng roller-carrier mounted. to Swing; shou't the actuating sheft, e roller shat jourmrled in the roller-cerrier in parallel reL-itleoL withvtlie actuating sha'ft, e, comhiued feed roller and pressure roller roteteu ble with the roller sheft, the latter roller 'm the idler can-Supporting roller being lielti'szely .so spsoed 'from the actuetmg sllyeft ss to provide for the coective Irelsi ing rollers. v v

tion of these rollersuthrough the swinging I of the roller-carrier about the actuating shaft, mechanical connection between the actuating shaft end .the roller shaft for ectuating the latter from the former, end

manuslly actustable means for swinging the roller-carrierfto shift the Combined feed and pressure roller to and from coactive relation with the idler een-Supporting roller.

3. A can smoothing machine comprisin 'e con-receiving horn, the outer portion o .which is ofiset upwardly, en idler can-supporting roller supported at both its 'ends on the upwerdly oifset portion of the horn end projectiug abovel the horn, the horn extending at the outside of the can-Supporting roller and having a hearing at its outer end for the outer end of thecan-supporting roller, e supplementel'idler c'ansupporting roller projecting beyond the end of the horn concentrc 'with the first cansupporting roller, e carrier-supportin henger above `the horn, an actuatng she gdurnaled in the' hauger above and p'srelle With the axes of the can- Supporting rollers, s'swin'gmg roller-carrier mounted to Swing about the actuatingshaft, e roller sha'ft journaled in the roller-carrier in parallel relation with the actuating' shaft,

e lcomloine'sd feed rollerf'lmd pressure roller' rotateble with the roller sheft and adjustable longitudinelly thereon, the latter roller l. A. can smoothing machine compu'sin a, can-receiving horn, the outer portion 4o los which is offset upwerdly, enicller can-supporting roller supportecl et bothvitsrnds on the upwsrdly ofiset .portion of the horn and projectiug above the horn, the horn e`Xtending at the outside of the 4 con-Supporting roller and heving' e hearing et its outer end for the out-er end of the can-Supporting roller, e cerriersupporting henger above the horn, en ectuatmg shaft journale'd in the henger above and parallel' with the exis of the een-Supporting roller, a. swingmg roller-csrrier mounted to swmg about the actuating shaft, e roller sheft journaled in..

the roller-(Barrier in parallel relation with the actusting sheft, e oomblncd feed roller and pressure rollerrotatable with-the roller sheft, the latter roller end the can-supporting roller being relatively spaced from' the actuating shaft so as to per-mit their coact-ive relation through the gwnging of'the roller-carrier about the actuating shaft, lnechnnicul connecbion between theactuating shaft and the roller shaft for actuating the latter from the formr, and manunlly actuatuble .means for swngng therollercamfior toshift the-Combined feed and pressure roller tofanf inom cdaotive relation17 with the idler can-Supporting roller. 10.

InL testimony whereo'f 'I-'have afiixed my signature in presenoeiof two witnesses.

JACOB B. CONOVER. VVtnesses BERNARD COWEN, HARRY LEWIS` 

